Russell Westbrook
Why He Should Win MVP: That whole averaging a triple-double thing is kind of a big deal. Oscar Robertson, who last accomplished the feat in 1962, certainly thinks so. He wrote: "My (MVP) vote is for Westbrook, and here's why: 1, He took over the offense for the Oklahoma City Thunder after Kevin Durant’s blockbuster departure for the Golden State Warriors as a free agent changed the team’s composition. 2, This season, he beats any other guard in a head-to-head matchup. 3, Most important, he should be rewarded for his outstanding play this season and his career-making individual accomplishments."
If you don't like triple-doubles, Westbrook checks off several metrics stats, as well. He leads the NBA in player efficiency rating (30.8), box plus/minus (15.6) and value over replacement player (12.4). By most statistical measures he has been the league's best player, and by all eye tests, he has been the league's most exciting player.
Why He Might Not Win MVP: Though MVP is technically an individual award, team performance is undoubtedly always a big factor. As such, the Thunder being sixth in the West standings and 16th in the NBA in offensive efficiency stands as the biggest criticisms towards Westbrook. It's almost unfair that he hasn't missed any games, so we can't see how bad the Thunder almost assuredly would have been without his dominance, but nevertheless it doesn't help when the other three candidates' teams are all right near the top of the standings. (Getty)